Sunshower Quilts

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Monday, February 16, 2015

Now I start the seemingly never-end taste of hand turning the binding to the back.

I bind a lot of my quilts by machine. And, I mean a lot of my quilts especially quilts that will be store samples, throw quilts, baby quilts and quilts where the binding and the borders are the same fabric because it is arguably a stronger binding as well as much faster.

For bed quilts I prefer an old fashioned, double fold French binding because it is softer to sleep under. And, with a quilt like this scrap quilt I prefer the binding thread to be more invisible. It's a long process; but, it is a meditative process that I can do in front of the television. I don't rush it; so, often a binding on a queen size quilt can take me weeks if I don't have a deadline for a quilt - like this one is LOL!

Sometimes you have to allow yourself to enjoy the process; and, since I don't really enjoy hand-turning the binding to the back, allowing myself to take my time with it makes something I don't enjoy more enjoyable. Does this make sense?

Friday, January 16, 2015

Don't get me wrong. Now that I have brought it out again I remembered how much I do actually like this quilt. I look back at the different fabrics in the squares and remember the projects they came from. I remember each wedding quilt, each hand bag and each baby quilt etc that these fabric scraps came from. I also remember how much I learned with this quilt. And, honestly, how much the two of us have gone through together to get to this point. We've had our ups and downs together.

It sounds like this quilt is now a living being at this point. Perhaps it is? Perhaps when something represents so much history, so many memories and so many emotions it takes on some life of it's own. Maybe that's why I have such an emotion reaction to this quilt? I don't really know!

What I do know is that this quilt is almost at the last boarder - yet - and to me, that means a lot!

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

I finally did it and I am proud of myself! I finally racked my beast of a leaders and enders quilt!

If you have been following my blog for a while you might know that I have a real love / hate relationship with this quilt. Why love? Look at all those scraps! Why hate? Well, just about anything that could go wrong with this quilt has! Heck I have even sewn in an incorrect fabric into this quilt! Then after all of that I didn't like it until I made it a bit bigger!

In the process I set some goals with this quilts. I succeeded with my goals mostly and I am happy with it. But, sometimes, do you ever just form an opinion about a quilt and just need to put it away for a little while? Well that's what I did with this one - we just needed some distance from each other. Or, rather I did ;-)

But now I am determined to get this one out of the closet and onto a bed! We've had quite a journey, this quilt and I, but, I think it's time to take the last few steps and finish it!

Have you ever needed time away from a top in order to come back to it?

Monday, January 12, 2015

Sorry I know that it has been a while! What have I been doing? Well, the holidays happened but I also got quite sick with this flu that seems to be taking everyone down. I'm still down to be honest but hopefully starting to mend a bit.

One cool thing I did come across, and wanted to share, was this new die from AccuCut. It is the CreatablesSmart Phone Stand and I think they are the cutest little things! When they were having a 50% off sale I grabbed one.

I did purchase a pack of the plastic sheets to use but the woman on the phone told me to save my plastic lids - like the type on yogurt. I thought that this was a great tip! Cut off the edges and run it through the machine.

It makes some cuts and makes some creases. Fold on the lines and Voila!

Super cute little phone stands!

They are very sturdy too! These would be good for a classroom setting, of course, but they are also great for an office setting. We love ours for around the house for watching Netflix on our phones or iPods. I also have a few substitute teachers that take my fitness classes and they are constantly checking their phones to see if they have a class the next day. I made up a bunch of these so they could prop them up in class!

Was this die a wee bit of an indulgent purchase - yes! But, I am ok with that! What do you think? Any other uses? Ad hock business card holder?

Saturday, November 15, 2014

While many of you are getting snowed in we had a lovely fall day today! And what better way to spend a day than teaching a quilting class!

Today I taught at a guild about an hour away from me and taught the Log Cabin block using the Accuquilt Go! Log Cabin die. We had a great day and everyone left happy with their blocks and the things that they learned. I always try to offer lots of little tips on piecing or pressing etc so that people leave happy and, hopefully, inspired.

Here are our blocks for the day. Some are two colour, some are planned and some are scrappy - they are all beautiful!

A couple of weeks ago I taught this class at another location and once again the blocks turned out beautifully! Lots of variation in colours and themes but they all are great.

I think that the log cabin is a favourite of almost everyone. It is so versatile and it can use up so many scraps! It is such an old block but it can be made in any theme of fabric - traditional, brights, batiks, funky - you name it!

One of my participants had this great tip - she used these paper clips to keep her stacks of logs together and organized. Awesome! This is perfect if you have to transport your fabrics, have your windows open or even if you have a playful cat in your house. Great idea!

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Recently I purchased the "Quick Curve Ruler" by Sew Kind of Wonderful. I know, I know - it's pretty shocking that I purchased a ruler when I die cut but this is a great ruler! It easily cuts curves but more than that it is the patterns that they have! They are amazing! So fresh and cool and very well written. Since I just got the ruler I decided to make the table runner pattern that comes with the ruler.

Cool huh!? Pretty simple and a great way to get to learn to use the ruler. I pulled the fabrics from my stash.

I decided that since the runner was so simple, and, being inspired by the quilting on the Sew Kind of Wonderful blog, that, it was just asking for some really dense and cool quilting! I used FilTech Glide thread top and bobbin and went to town with some scribbles, pebbling and ribbon curl quilting. I really like it - what do you think?

I am now working on another pattern using the ruler and once again I am pleased with how it is turning out! Have you tried this ruler before?

Saturday, September 20, 2014

I taught not only a Go Club today but a log cabin class! We used the Accuquilt Go! Log Cabin die and then assembled a couple of blocks. Everyone did extremely well and were very pleased with the results.

It was so fun to watch the participants when they saw that HOURS of work was completed in just a couple of minutes of cutting with the die. I know that this die has a few limitations but overall I am very happy with it and absolutely LOVE how fast and accurate it makes a log cabin!

I don't know what it is about the log cabin block and me. It draws me. Maybe it's the history, or the mythology behind it; or, maybe it is the simplicity of it. Whatever it is I love this block!